Monthly Archives: July 2013

When last I posted, my chief concern was the possibility that the local Council on Aging and Disability might be considering removing me from their client list. That could put a big stick in my spokes, so I spent some time on the phone with the supervisor of my case at the Council. I think she’s a decent sort, one who recognizes the inherent flaws in the system and who like many is trying to change things for the better from within.

Apart from the alarm in her voice at finding I’d heard about these ‘budget cuts’ and querying me about my sources…which I respectfully declined to answer; no journalist reveals his/her sources…it was an interesting and somewhat reassuring talk.

My supervisor assured me that while the Council is indeed under all kinds of pressure to cut costs and minimize outlays, a person with as legitimate a need as mine for the services they provide, especially at the minimal level I use, need not worry about being removed. Yes, they’re cutting costs and taking a good hard look at each case to assure that obvious players who are gaming the system and don’t actually need help are removed, there aren’t any plans to remove me.

That’s good news, but it doesn’t change the fact that the vast empire of debt and death (as Chris Duane aptly puts it) is collapsing, the dollar is fast losing its status as the world’s reserve currency, and sooner or later I will be left to fend for myself as it falls apart.

I’m glad the urgency is reduced, but it also doesn’t change the fact that I just won’t be physically able to fend for myself until my liberty of movement’s restored. I try and keep as upbeat as possible, but I confess this confinmement is doing me damage. I am well aware that I have some of the best friends and allies trying to help me get free, but there are times when I have to fight off periods of despair as my life continues to bleed out, never to be regained. Then, too, there’s the frustration that I’m certain that I can make a difference even in a minor way…once I’m released. The to-do list of things I feel compelled to address, from establishing a dynamic relationship with the local county sheriff’s office, to following up on essays I’ve written, to confronting politicians and functionaries at the state Capitol and nearby counties, grows all the time.

Being human, the bleak reality does at times threaten to overwhelm me, I confess, especially in the quiet watches of the night when I’m alone with my thoughts. These moments pass sooner or later, and I often remind myself that I’m most definitely not alone in this, that hundreds of people of good will have contributed…and more are coming as I can reach them. Patience is something I’m learning more about all the time, and remembering that all the good I’ve seen so far is sure no fluke, especially since my appeal to the public is completely voluntary and no one owes me a thing…yet they choose freely to help. THAT is a big comfort.

Still, I have to remind everyone that the job’s not done yet. But apart from any altruistic impulses I’m giving donors an outlet for, there’s plenty of quid pro quo to help persuade the public to help thanks to the wonderful musical talents who’ve provided their creations to include in the thank-you package for everyone donating $4 or more, and April Reigne is contributing another copy of the Constitutional cases and materials book for the next Grand Prize drawing in a month or thereabouts. Brian Shadis’ superb work in crafting the above banner graphic makes it all more eye catching…thank you, Brian!…so no matter that I may get bummed from time to time, I know in my heart this effort’s going to succeed. Hey, it’s my life here, and as the cliche goes, ‘failure is not an option!’

The July challenge ended last night, a disappointingly low number of donors but they’ll all be getting the thank you package, a zip file with the four original songs listed in my original post on the Challenge plus a small thank you note I put together. We held the drawing for the winner of the Constitution cases and materials book live on WeROAR, congratulations to the generous donor and winner Franklin!

We’ll be running another challenge, I’m not yet sure of how long precisely yet, but all details will be provided here and you can be assured all of the donors will be kept on record. I gotta tell you, this time I really hope we complete the goal, since there’s been a new development. One that can threaten my life along with my 75 year old mom’s.

You see, for the past several years I’ve been dependent on the Greater Nashville Regional Council Area Agency on Aging & Disability to provide a helper every week to do light housekeeping and more importantly, grocery shopping and pharmacy pickups. Now the word through the grapevine is that they’re planning to wipe me off their rolls soon, precisely why I’m not sure.

But the fact is that not only is my life in limbo, I can’t get out to do all of those thousands of things healthy people do, and of course can’t interact with the public to promote liberty in public, not to mention doing what I can to out unconstitutional acts and corruption on the part of politicians…but now my one link to food and medecine is being threatened. My mom at 75 has never fully recovered from the fall she took at her last job that took her out of the workforce and left her in constant leg, hip and foot pain, so since she isn’t driving either, the loss of the home help threatens her as directly as it does me. It’s ironic, while I subsist on permanent disability income, I’m still very much a taxpayer, from property taxes to all the other sales taxes and fees that all of you are stuck with. It looks like while the City of Nashville will still be happy to take those monies from me, the benefit will be going to someone else.

I didn’t like it in my healthy days, so you can imagine how I feel now that I’ve become dependent on the help I’ve paid for for years, and am still paying for…help that may be whisked away at some faceless bureaucrat’s whim.

Now, please, is the most critical time to finish this fundraising project. Along with all those things I haven’t been able to do, now if the home help is withdrawn I’ll have no way to put food on the table. Details will follow as I learn more.

Pretty Good Links

American Daily Herald
A fine online journal and the home of my new venture in writing regular columns! I like their motto: veritas, libertas, pax et prosperitas

Tatiana Moroz Official Site
The official site of my new friend and ally in the liberty community. Tatiana’s a wonderfully talented artist and a force to be reckoned with in the liberty movement…a genuine MUST SEE!

Cutting the Gordian Knot
A promising new blog authored by my friend Kristie…unabashedly freedom oriented and well written, please check her work out!

incompetech.com
The best and most user friendly site for royalty free music and sounds for use in media projects. All Kevin asks is for attribution in new works using his material. Licensed under Creative Commons and thoroughly awesome!

Don't Tread On Me
Chris Duane’s great site dedicated to those who’ve taken the Red Pill, recently or long ago!

Adam Vs. The Man
Do you believe in peaceful, individual, voluntary action in your life? You just might be an anarcho capitalist! So’s Adam, and he promotes it with style.

WKOAlive
A great station, broadcasting out of Tampa to keep you informed!

Stuff Just For Fun

Asian Food Grocer
A marvelous site that stocks a universe of things Asian food related. I’m partial to their Japanese snack foods, myself, they’re sublime!

Rise Of Flight official site
More than just the premiere WW I air combat simulation, I consider Rise of Flight the most realistic flight sim ever. Check it out, the basic sim is free! You can fly two planes to begin with, or act as gunner in any 2-seat scout or large bomber online.

New Wings web site
A good bunch of solid folks here. Their emphasis is on training and learning, not brainless noob shoots. One of the best resources for a new pilot!